Vehicle.



M. L. SENDERLING.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1911.

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VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

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VEHICLE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 22, 1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

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VEHICLE. 7 APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1911.

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VEHICLE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 22, 1911.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

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"marlin TATES,

MARTIN L. SENDERLING, I OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE.

four-wheel designs of motor vehicles, the f practical load-carrying capacity is limited by the practical inability of wheels and rub- 5 ber tires to carry loads in excess of five thousand pounds or thereabout per wheel, and t-o stand up under such loads in ordinary service for a sufficient length of time to render the use of the vehicle economical; also that ordinary unpaved roadways, and many paved roadways, cannot withstand without injury aload of more than five thousand pounds or thereabout per wheel, unless such wheels have a tire of a breadth which is impracticable and undesirable in many classes of heavy vehicles, motor trucks v for example. It is well known that in many of the heaviest motor trucks now in use, the economical load, carrying capacity per wheelhas been exceeded.

' According to the invention herein illus-- hated and described, I increase the number of wheels of 'the vehicle, without otherwise. materially changing the typeand general construction of the vehicle, by substituting, for each of two or more of the wheels of an ordinary vehicle, multi-wheel trucks so constructed, and provided with such load-distributing means, that the load on each truck is distributed with substantial uniformity to all of the wheels of the truck. In general, each of these trucks has two wheel only, though I do not'liinit 'my'self to trucks-of two wheels only; In some cases I employ only two of'these miilti-wheel trucks, in which case such trucks are usually located at the rear of the vehicle, and, in the case-' of a motor vehicle,- the' wheels---of these Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 22,1911. Serial No. 628,687.

Patented hicle; the steering wheels being of ordinary construction andarrangement. Inothercases, *and' particularly where extremely heavy iloads are to be carried, multi-wheel trucks are also provided at the other end of theveihicle and their wheels constitute also steerj ing wheels of the vehicle.

My invention comprises, therefore, a velsingle wheels of an ordinary vehicle, malts ,wheel trucks are employed, together with fmeans for distributing the load withv approximate uniformity, tothe several wheels Zofsuch truck's.

Further features of my invention will appear hereinafter.

crease the effective load-carrying-capacity of road vehicles, and particularly ofmotor vehicles, without exceeding ermissibl'e or desirable load-carrying capacity, per wheel and tire; to accomplish this" object without materially altering the general design and structure of such'vehicles; to distribute the load of the vehicle, with substantial uniformity, between the diflerent frontwlieels, and; between the different rear wheels.

Further objects of my invention will appear hereinafter. I I

If will'now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and'will then'point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings: Figure l showsa side elevation of one type of motor vehicle em- 'grammatically. Fig. 2 shows a top view of such vehicle, the engine bonnet and associated parts being omitted; Fig. 3 shows a side elevation and partial section of the I front portion of such vehicle; Fig. 4 shows a side elevation and partial section of the rear portion of such vehicle; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the vehicle,

parts being omitted; and Fig. 6 is a similar trucks form the driving wheels' of the've the engine, engine bonnet, and associated rear elevation of, the vehicle; Fig. 7 shows" atop view, on a larger scale than Fig. 2, of" the front portion of the vehicle, the' 'engine and associated parts being omitted Fig.8 shows adetail sectional elevation of anal Apr. 28,1914.

hicle wherein, in place of some or all of the as v The objects of my invention are to inbodying my invention, the engine and change speed mechanism being shown dia-' wheels.

Referring first to Figs. l-7 inclusive, numerals 1 indicate the longitudinal bearers or main frame members or $1118 of a motor vehicle, and numerals 2, 2 and 3, 3 desigis described more fully herinafter.

nate transverse frame membersor sills. In the construction shown, the members 2, 2, near the front of the frame of the vehicle, are of arched form and are of deep channel section, are located above the longitudinal bearers 1, and in addition to their function as frame members, form housings for transversesprings 4 (the springs of the vehicle' being arranged, as hereinafter described, to provide a three-point support for the vehicle frame). The space between the two transverse frame members 2 is well adapted for location in such space of an engine; and a bonnet 5 commonly covers this space. As will be seen particularly by reference to Fig. 2, in this vehicle, instead of providing four wheels only,

wheel truck (in the construction shown, a

two-wheel truck) in place of each of the single Wheels of an ordinary vehicle. By this construction the number of wheels of a vehicle is doubled without otherwise inaterially changing the design of the vehicle and, as compared with a four-wheel vehicle of equal load-carrying capacity, the load per wheel is halved, provided efficient means. such as hereinafter described, be employed for distributing the load between the different wheels. Each of these multi-wheel trucks comprises an axle 6 (which, in the construction shown, is a dead axle, though I do not limit myself to useof dead axles) upon which axle, carrying wheels 7 are mounted in the ordinary manner. Each such truck further. comprises longitudinal sills 8, connected, near their ends, by transverse stirrups 9. The front trucks each have in addition, a longitudinal arched pedestal10 pivotally connected to a transverse carrying member comprising two crossbeams 11 of channel section and located bev neath members 2 of the vehicle frame, and brackets 11 connected to the ends of. said beams 11; to which carrrying member 1]. the ends of the front springs 4 are shackled as hereinafter described. The pivotal connection of the truck pedestals 10 to the brackets 11 of the transverse member is of the nature of a fifth-wheel connection, and

The trucks of the rear wheels are provided each with two pedestals 12 connecting the stir- I have provided a multi- .compression,

between the wheels. The longitudinal sills 8 of each truck are cross-connected by transverse sills 14. It will be seen that the 1011- gitudinal sills 8 and transverse sills 14 of each truck constitute a rigid truck-frame;

that the pedestals 10 of the front trucks and 12 of the rear trucks, distribute the load of the vehicle to the stirrups 9, and thence to the truck frames comprising sills 8 and 14. Such load is transferred from such truck frames to the axles 6 through springs which, in the construction shown in Figs. 1-7 inclusive, are leaf springs. Numerals 15 designate the springs of the front trucks, there being two such springs for each front truck, and numerals 16 designate the springs of the rear trucks, there being two such springs for each rear truck. These springs are connected to the axles 6, by clips 17, and their ends rest against the under sides of the sills 8, belng confined at their ends by bolts 17, which bolts nevertheless permit the longitudinal motion of the ends of the springs with respect to said sills, necessary for spring action. The form of these sprin s 15 and 16 is such that, in uring the first part of the compression, the effective length of the spring in contact with the under side of the sill increases, correspondingly decreasing the effective length of the springbetween its points of contact with the sill and its point of contact with the axle, the effect of which construction is that as the load on the spring becomes greater the spring becomes stiffer owing to decreased effective length. The springs and mountings therefor shown herein form the subject-matter of a co-pending application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed the 18th day of March, 1914, and bearing Serial Number 825,530, to which cross reference is here made. Suitable distance rods 18 are provideq (two for each truck) the distance rods 0. the front trucks extending from the springclips 17, and so, in effect, from the axles G. tothe longitudinal sills 8; while the distance rods 18 of the rear trucks extend from the spring clips to fixed members 19 of the frame of the vehicle. The transverse springs 4 at the front of the vehicle, are connected byclips 20 to the transverse frame member 2, and at their ends are connected by shackles 21 to the transverse member 11 connecting the two front trucks. All of the spring structure of one of the two -rear trucks. This constitutes, as will be seen, substantially a three point support.

Steering is effected in substantially the ordinary manner by means. of the front trucks, each truck treated, in this respect, as if it were a single wheel.v The frames of the 'two front trucks are connected by a link 22, hinge-connected to said truck frames, and one of'the truck frames is also connected,byalink 22-, to a lever 23 carried by a steering shaft 24. Each pedestal 10 of the two front trucks is provided at its upper end with a fifth-wheel 25 having a bearing in a foot 26 carried by the corresponding bracket 11*.

I have indicated driving mechanism for the vehicle, comprising a longitudinal driving shaft 27 driving a transverse jack shaft 28, through a differential 29. The particular construction of this differential is not illustrated, as it may be any one of the customary difierential gears. This transverse shaft 28 drives, by suitable means, such for example as chains 30, two other differentials, 31, one for each of the rear trucks, and these differentials 31 in turn drive the several rear wheels of the vehicle independently, by means of chains 32. As will be readily understood, the action of these differentials is such that, when the vehicle is changing direction, each of the driving wheels is driven at its proper relative speed.

The advantages of this structure above described, particularly where very heavy loads are to be carried, are numerous. Since eight carrying wheels are provided, where,

accordingto ordinary constructions, only four carrying wheels would be provided, the load on each wheel is only half of what. it would be in an equivalent four wheel construction, and the pressure of each wheel upon the roadway is half of what it would be in an equivalent four-wheel construction. Moreover, a greater number of springs are provided than 1n ordinary four wheel constructions, the load upon eachspring being halfof what it would be in an equivalent The axles themselves are relatively short, and for this reason have greater strength than in ordinary four wheel constructions, and moreover these axlesare not subjected to excessive therefore the bending action, as is the case when one of the wheels of a four-wheel construction mounts an obstruction or drops into a hole.

The number of driving wheels being don bled, as compared with ordinary four-wh el constructions, there is greater traction with consequent less liability to slip; and so greatly is the traction increased that in many cases the use of metal tires is practicable where the use of such tires would not be practicable in equivalent four wheel constructions. Th s increase of traction also decreases grlndlng of roadways, due to sl p of wheels, and correspondingly decreases the wear on the tires. I I

The use of eight carrying wheels insteadof four brings the load upon the individual mounting an obstruction or dropping into a.

depression in the roadway. Revolving the steering gears by pairs around a common center in turning, eliminates the grinding of tires commonly experienced in ordinary four-wheel constructions, as these tires do not swivel about a vertical axis. The threepoint support of the vehicle frame eliminates excessive stresses on the frame commonly experienced, by four-point supported frames, when the vehicle encounters an obstruction or drops into a hole.

The construction of the several members of the vehicle frameor chassis, and of the several frame members of the trucks, is

such that these parts may be of pressedsteel constructions, or may be simple forgings. I v

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative construction of two-wheel. truck, wherein the stirrups 9 are located relatively close tothe.

axle, and wherein a single pivot pin 13 passing through the axle is provided for the 'swiveling of the two stirrups to the truck pedestal, here designated by the reference numeral 33; and owing to the relatively small distance between the two stirrups 9, in this construe- 'tion, this pedestal 33 is of simple yoke form,

secured atits upper end to the fifth wheel 25. I have also illustrated in this figure that the foot or bearing piece 26 for this fifth wheel may be secured di'rectlyto the floor frame of the vehicle, here designated by nuprovide a three-point support, but a three point support is not always required.

In the forms'of vehicle above described, the point of pivotal'connection of the pedestals to the saddles or other truck members,

1 20 meral 34. This latter construction does not i I is quite low. This is desirable, as the stresses on the parts are much less when the point of connection is low than when it is high.

In Fig. 10 Iindicatethat it is not necessary that, in my vehicle, there be four steer ing wheels (such steering wheels being, customarily, the front wheels). In the structure shown in Fig. 10, the rear portion of the vehicle, that is to sa the driving wheels and driving ge'ar there or, arearranged the same as in Figs. 1-7 inclusive; but instead of having two trucks, of two wheels each, at the front of the vehicle, I have single wheels, 41, mounted 01f stub axles 4.2 pivoted at 43 to the main axle 4.4, steering gears such as ordinarily provided in motor vehicles being employed.

What Iclaim is 1. A road vehiclecomprising a frame, and supporting wheels therefor comprising four wheels abreast, arranged in two groups of two each, axles for said wheels, a stirrup for each pair of wheels comprising a centrally depressed portion with a relatively elevated portion on each side of the dcpressed portion, pedestals projecting downward from said frame and having jointed connections with the depressed portions of said stirrnps, and spring means interposed between the elevated portions of each such stirrup andthc axle of the corresponding wheels.

2. A road vehicle comprising a frame, and supporting wheels therefor comprising four wheels abreast arranged in two groups of two each, an axle for each such group, spring means for each such group, and means having ajoint connection, for transferring load of the vehicle to said springs, and distance rods connecting said axles to a portion of the frame which is fixed against longitudinal motion with respect to the frame.

3. A road vehicle comprising a frame, and supporting wheels, certain of which are arranged abreast, an axle for two wheels so arranged, two leaf springs for such axle, spaced apart laterally, and connected to the axle, stirrups connecting corresponding ends of said springs and having depressed portionslocated between said springs,and means projecting downward from the frame of the yehicle and pivotally connected to said stirrups and so supporting the vehicle frame.

4. A road vehicle comprising a frame, and supporting wheels. certain cf which are arranged abreast. an axle for two wheels so arranged, two leaf springs for such axle, spaced apart ltlltl'fllt, and connected to the axle, stirrnps connecting corresponding ends of said springs and having depressed portionslocated between said springs, and means projecting downward from the frame of title vehicle and pivotally connected to said.

7 nected non-rigidly to the stltglrrups and so supporting the vehicle frame;

and a distance rod connecting said axle to a portion of the frame which is fixed against longitudinal motion with respect to the frame.

5. A road vehicle comprising a frame, and supporting wheels therefor comprising two sets, the wheels of each set arranged abreast, springs for said wheels, framework comprising a transverse member interposed between the springs of one such set of wheels and the vehicle frame, and a transverse leaf spring interposed between the vehicle frame and the said transverse member, said trans verse spring connected near its center to one of the parts between which it is interposed, and connected non-rigidly to the other of said members between which it is interposed.

6. A vehicle comprising a frame having a plurality of longitudinal sills and a plurality of cross sills, two such cross sills arranged near one end of such frame but spaced apart, vehicle wheels comprising two series, the wheels of each series arranged abreast, axles and springs for said wheels and a framework interposed between the springs of one of said series of wheels and the vehicle frame. and comprising a transverse member, and leaf springs interposed between the two proximate transverse sills of the vehicle frame, and the said transverse member, said leaf springs connected near their middle to one of the parts between which they are interposed, and connected non-rigidly at their ends to the other of the parts between which they are interposed.

7. A vehicle comprising a frtime comprising longitudinal sills and cross sills, two of said cross sills arranged near each other and each of inverted channel-section, supporting wheels arranged in two series, the wheels .of each series arranged abreast, axles and springs for said wheels, and a frame work connecting the axles of the wheels of one of said series and comprising transverse members located substantially beneath the said sills of channel-section, and leaf springs between said transverse members and chauncl-scction sills and seated in the channels of such sills.

8. A vehicle comprising plurality of longitudinal of cross sills, two such cross sills arranged intermediate the ends of such frame but spaced apart, vehicle wheels and springs for said wheels and a frame-work interposed between the said springs and the said vehicle frame and comprising transverse members, and leaf springs interposed between said transverse members and the said transverse sills of the vehicle frame, said leaf springs connected rigidly to one of the parts bctwccn which they are interposed, and conother of the parts are interposed.

a frame having a between which they sills and apluralitv' 9. A vehicle comprising a frame, pedes- In testimony whereof I have signed this 10 tals rigidly pendant from said frame, wheels, specification in the presence of two subscriband ,springs therefor, the pedestals being ing witnesses. in proximity to the ends of said springs, and t frame-work comprising stirrups which are MARTIN L. SENDERLING. rigid partsthereof, said frame-work mounted r upon said springs, Ksaid stirrups bein each Witnesses: located in roximity to one of said pedestals H. M. MARBLE and pivota 1y connected to 'it. D. A. DAVIS. 

